In a significant development for the bilateral relationship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday. The meeting, described as carrying “great significance” by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian, saw the two leaders reaching “important common understandings” on improving and developing China-India relations.
The meeting comes as a crucial step towards normalizing relations between the two Asian giants, which have been strained since the deadly military clash in eastern Ladakh in 2020. Both sides acknowledged the need to view the relationship from a strategic height and long-term perspective, emphasizing the importance of preventing specific disagreements from affecting the overall ties.
Lin Jian highlighted China’s readiness to work with India to step up communication and cooperation, enhance strategic mutual trust, and properly handle differences. He emphasized the importance of bringing bilateral relations back to the path of steady development as soon as possible.
A key takeaway from the meeting was the endorsement of the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, reached on Monday. This agreement, coupled with the revival of bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signifies a concerted effort to de-escalate tensions and restore normalcy in the border areas.
Both leaders agreed to make good use of the Special Representatives mechanism, currently headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, to address the boundary question. The mechanism, established in 2003, played a vital role in improving relations in the past, with 22 meetings held to address the border issue.
In addition to the meeting between the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that India and China can have a “peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship” with maturity and wisdom, by showing mutual respect for each other’s sensitivities, interests, concerns and aspirations.
The meeting in Kazan marks a turning point in the relationship between India and China, paving the way for a more stable and mutually beneficial future. With both sides committed to strengthening communication and cooperation, the path towards a normalized relationship is now more clearly defined. The coming weeks and months are expected to witness a flurry of high-level visits and engagements, further bolstering the efforts to improve ties on all fronts.